Taking a break this week from interviewing, I am sharing what I have learned based on my first two interviews with Portland Fruit Tree Project and Shred the Stigma.
The two nonprofits have succeeded in posting multiple times a week and some daily. Portland Fruit Tree Project has a set schedule that includes daily posts, while Shred the Stigma doesn’t have a set schedule. Portland Fruit Tree Project has been around longer, as Shred the Stigma started within the last couple of years. It should be interesting to see how both nonprofits change with posting.
Both nonprofits have seen an uptick in volunteers from social media. Portland Fruit Tree Project has noticed the most significant boost in people’s interest in volunteering for services it isn’t known for. For example, shred the Stigma is seeing more people signing up to be delivery drivers for safety kits. I think nonprofits can look at what people are volunteering for and figure out how to manage that with their social media presence. That can include promoting areas where you need more volunteers and spending less time on those with plenty of volunteers.
For their social media future, both nonprofits hope to continue to evolve. In regards to Portland Fruit Tree Project, that looks more like storytelling. For Shred the Stigma, it hopes to get more fundraising and recruitment, as well as continue to share events that it has going on. Continuing to evolve and discovering what to focus on while expanding to new social platforms are essential to a nonprofit’s success. If a nonprofit doesn’t focus on its future and development, it can be outdated and out of touch.
Both nonprofits hope to continue to grow off social media. Portland Fruit Tree Project also focuses on marketing and branding, including merchandise and in-person events. Shred the Stigma hopes to continue the push toward harm reduction, help advocate for laws that support harm reduction, and shred the stigma surrounding harm reduction. A nonprofit needs to look at what it hopes to achieve offline, as that can carry over to what is happening on its social media. It may seem redundant to focus on off social media things for the hope of social media, but it’s about building a nonprofit’s reputation. Reputation follows that nonprofit around wherever it goes.
This blog has allowed me to interview others in this industry. I can’t wait to interview more people. It will be interesting to compare their answers. If you have any nonprofit in mind for me to interview, I am happy to connect! Please send me an email or connect with me on LinkedIn.
